It’s not just a rhetorical question – the City is asking us to suggest projects to improve our community and we will get a chance to vote on which ones should be included in the City budget. It is a new way of making decisions about how to use public money called Participatory Budgeting, now in its second year. If you would like to learn how to weigh in, check out one of these informational sessions in our area:

I woke up early this morning, (having fallen asleep with the television on) to an episode of Toni on New York featuring our beloved Harlem. I thoroughly enjoyed the vivacious Toni’s exploration of our neighborhood – its important and colorful past and its vibrant present. I am a native and long time resident of Harlem and I learned a few things I did not know about this amazing neighborhood. The visit to the Schomburg and the backstage tour of Apollo with Billy Mitchell were

particularly interesting, It was also great fun to see Toni sample some of Harlem’s favorite foods, escorted on her “Taste of Harlem” tour by Neal Shoemaker, the founder of Harlem Heritage Tours, which ran the gamut from wings & waffles at Amy Ruth’s to to red velvet cake at one of my personal favorites, Make My Cake.. I had not previously seen this show, which is both hosted and executive produced by Toni Senecal, but I am now definitely a fan. You can check out the segment online or on Toni’s Facebook page.

If you have ever wondered how candidates get started on their road to elected office, you should check out this seminar on political leadership and the science behind winning elections! The event is sponsored by WE ACT, a Harlem-based environmental justice organization, and several other community groups. The seminar will be held Wednesday, January 22, 2014 from 6:30-9:00pm at the WE ACT offices at 1854 Amsterdam Avenue, 2nd Floor.

On the occasion of the first anniversary of the shootings in Sandy Hook Elementary School, this event will not only honor those who lost their lives on that day, but also the many children who have lost their lives tragically to gun violence in Harlem.